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Obama– New task force on Middle Class

U.S. President Barack Obama has announceda task force to focus on the middle class in the United States, andsigned executive orders reversing some Bush administration laborpolicies.

At the White House Friday, Mr. Obamaannounced that Vice President Joe Biden will lead the taskforce.

Poor Americans will not be forgotten

The president said poor Americans wouldnot be forgotten, and that his administration wants to make surethey benefit from American prosperity as well, as long as they arewilling to work for it.

Biden said the establishment of the taskforce sends a clear signal to hard-working Americans that thegovernment is on their side again. He said for too many years theWhite House failed to put the middle class in the forefront ofpolicy.

Mr. Obama signed three executive ordersthat he said are aimed at creating a level playing field forworkers and the unions that represent their interests. He said hedoes not view the labor unions as part of the problem, but ratherpart of the solution.

Under the new directives, federalcontractors are required to offer jobs to current employees whencontracts change, and prevented from being reimbursed for expensesthat were intended to influence worker decisions on forming unionsor engaging in collective bargaining.